Thai Coconut Noodle Bowl with Pak Choi

This is a healthy dish that has an indulgent feel to it as the combination of ingredients create a delicious yet nutritious concoction. Some of the ingredients may be slightly outside of the norm of what is found in your kitchen, however after cooking this recipe, you may soon discover they become regular additions to your cupboards. Asian food is cooked with fantastically aromatic flavours and although there is traditionally a heavy emphasis on fish and meats, you can create an amazing Thai dish without using any! To make this Thai Coconut Noodle Bowl with Pak Choi for three to four people you will need the following ingredients:

The first thing you’ll need to do is remove the leaves from the coriander stems and put them to one side, they will come in useful when the time comes to garnish. Next, slice your onion, chop the red chilli and peel and smash the garlic. Next, take a large saucepan and pour the two cans of coconut milk in with the coriander stems, lemongrass, onion, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and the sugar. Stir the contents of the pan together well and bring to a simmer.

Continue to cook for an additional 15 – 20 minutes before straining through a sieve and into a separate saucepan. You must now discard all of the strained ingredients that didn’t make it through the sieve. Add the sliced mushrooms, tamari, lime juice, water, pak choi and rice noodles to the new pan and bring to a simmer once again. This process should take between 3 and 4 minutes, after which time you can remove the pan from the heat.

Season to taste and then serve into bowls. Before you give each dish to those waiting around the table, garnish with the coriander leaves you saved at the start as well as a few slices of chilli each and some kaffir lime leaves.

Every plant-based ingredient in this dish is packing an impressive amount of nutrition, ensuring your body enjoys this meal just as much as your taste buds do. Although high in calories and fat, coconut milk contains a lot of micro-nutrients and protein and is also said to help blood cholesterol levels.

Portabellini mushrooms are also a good source of protein and encouragingly low in calories with absolutely no cholesterol, fat or sodium. Pak choi is a very popular vegetable in Asia and is also very low in calories. It is a rich source of a wide range of nutrients, vitamins, mineral and anti-oxidants. Pak choi is a particularly good source of vitamins A, C and K which are great for the immune system, vision and bones respectively.

Kaffir lime leaves have a strong citrus flavour and are often used in Thai cooking. In some parts of Asia, the juice of the kaffir lime is also used for its medicinal properties and for washing purposes. Garlic is another ingredient that has long been loved for its medicinal properties. Garlic has been proven to be effective in protecting against diseases, infections and cancers. It is also an amazing source of iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc!!

Julie, I really admire how you present your wonderful foods. I just told my dear friend (and MIL) about your site so that she can subscribe and start trying your healthy recipes. I am collecting recipes, from anyone around the world who cares to share, for a cookbook project called “Foodarella” and would LOVE to have one of your recipes for the book! I know how busy you must be so no worries if you aren’t interested. Here’s the link and happy healthy eating!
Karen

Julie, One of your previously published recipes is perfect. I think you have a fabulous way with healthy food, and life, and have been letting many people in my life, who want to eat healthier (and scrumptious) foods, to look at your site. Thank you for getting involved with Foodarella!!

Thank you so much! Can’t wait for you to do this book! Probably my favourite one is either the Thai Coconut Noodle Bowl or the Coconut Breakfast Bowl. And happy for you to use photos and bio etc. If you need me to send you some photos and the original photos of the recipes let me know and will do asap. Thanks so much! About to post one on Healthy Hot chocolate on Tuesday… look out for it!

Thank you so much Julie!!! These recipes sound perfect and I can’t wait to try them while I am still here in New York, trying to get everyone over the super flu… I will contact you at a later date to arrange for the photos and to get your approval for the bio. Thank you again and happy living and eating!